INTERVIEW | Jersey Boys Are Back In Town, UK Tour
The jukebox musical that dramatises the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock'n'roll group The Four Seasons has grown into a "global phenomenon" since coming onto the stage in 2004. Now some 18 years later it is now enjoying a West End revival and an exciting UK & Ireland tour. In 2023 alone it’s heading to Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Cardiff and Leicester.
Jersey Boy actors Michael Pickering (Frankie Valli), Blair Gibson (Bob Gaudio) and Dalton Wood (Tommy DeVito) get together to discuss this production.
What can audiences expect when they come to see the show?
Dalton: They’re in for a fun-filled night with amazing music, on top of which, there’s a true and gritty story. It’s all-around entertainment.
Michael: It’s one of those shows where if someone says ‘My husband won’t come see a musical’ this is the one you bring them to because they’re going to love musicals after seeing it. Sometimes men get dragged along to it and they leave going ‘Oh my God that was amazing’. It’s a wonderful night out. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a more talented cast and crew so they can expect one of the most wonderful performances from one of the most talented teams I’ve ever worked with.
Is it just what audiences are craving right now, after all the lockdowns and restrictions?
Michael: Absolutely. It’s got such a great story, everyone loves the music, and it kind of relates to the world we’re living in at the moment because the Four Seasons went through such hard times yet they kept going. It’s an inspiring story and we all need that at the moment.
Why do you think there’s still such nostalgia for the music?
Michael: No one has come close to touching it since. They had the four-part harmonies and Frankie’s unique falsetto, and they were a group - they were a team and a family, not some manufactured band. They loved what they did and they worked hard to get to the top.
Dalton: Frankie is still out there and still going strong, which helps keep the music alive as does the show. Beggin’ is a hit all over again, which is amazing, and all their music is just incredible. That’s why it keeps coming back round again and again.
Blair: The songs are classics. As Dalton says, Beggin’ is now one of the bestselling songs around the world and it originally came out in 1967. Their music is timeless.
How would you describe your respective characters in the show?
Michael: Frankie Valli has the biggest heart and a wonderful talent. What he lacks in stature he makes up for in heart and I think he falls on hard times because of how much he gives to his family and friends.
Blair: Bob is the composer who wrote all the songs for the Four Seasons as well as for other artists. He also had a role in the production side of things, especially later on in their careers. He’s very pragmatic and very logic-driven, which is what the group needed at the time, and it’s part of the reason they’re still big and still successful today.
Dalton: Tommy is the one who started the band. He has his issues; he’s a big gambler and gets into money troubles. But he’s the one that brought them all together and he’s such a big character to play.
READ MORE: Jersey Boys, UK Tour Review
There are so many great songs in the show. Do you have any favourites to perform?
Dalton: I love the big three, so that’s Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man. Those were the group’s first big hits. We perform them one after another. The dance moves and the harmonies come out - they’re such fun to perform.
Michael: For me it’s Cry for Me, which comes quite early in the show. It shows the boys coming together one by one and it’s the first time they hit their harmonies and go ‘This is it’.
Blair: I love Let’s Hang On because it’s when they’ve come out of a period of darkness and angst and it’s all about the music again. We’re dancing around. [Laughs] The good old thigh slap.
It’s not just a jukebox musical, is it?
Dalton: It’s a play with songs because it tells their story. You get all the music everyone still loves and wants but you also get a gripping true story.
Blair: People come expecting the songs they know and love but they go away having learned something because not everyone knows the ins and outs of the plot. It’s almost like a documentary told by the band themselves. You get different points of view on the same story from these four people who are four very different guys. It’s a very dramatic narrative but also has that feel-good element. I feel good just doing it.
How is it being back on the road?
Dalton: It’s amazing! The UK is such an amazing place so getting to spend time in different towns, in so many beautiful theatres, is great. And we have such an incredible company so we’re in good hands.
Blair: It’s been really nice to perform again, especially in a show like this. It still has its trials and tribulations, of course. Touring in general does but even more so in a pandemic. But you figure it out as you go along and it’s a joy to be out there again. No matter what the size of the audience they’re always attentive. They care as much about the story as they do the songs.
Michael: Just being able to get on a train or drive a car somewhere is great within itself, given the fact we weren’t able to go anywhere for so long, but for me, it’s more about the team I travel with and I couldn’t have hoped for a better team. It honestly feels like nothing can stop us. Obviously, COVID is still out there but there’s nothing we can’t conquer. That feeling makes touring a delight.
Blair: I’ve done the show before but only on cruise ships, so it’s so nice touring the country and seeing different places and different theatres. Plus, on the ships, it was a trimmed-down version, whereas this is the full show with more script, more songs, more everything really.
How have audiences been so far?
Dalton: We’ve had standing ovations every night so far and fingers crossed that carries on. The reaction has been so positive and for us as performers, it’s just nice to be back out there again after so long.
What do you hope people will feel when they leave the theatre?
Dalton: We end the show with such joyous numbers everyone knows, even if they weren’t around at the time they first came out. They’ll leave upbeat and happy. They’ll have had a fun, energising evening whilst learning a bit more about the Four Seasons’ story along the way.
Blair: It has peaks and valleys, with fun moments and some really dramatic ones. It gives you feel-good moments then brings you back down to earth before ending with Who Loves You – a song that everyone knows and which has everyone on their feet. I think they’ll leave feeling ecstatic but also surprised by what they’ve learned. We’ve had so many people say ‘We had no idea about the story, we just came for the music’. There’s a lot of appreciation, which is always nice to hear.
Are there any stops on the tour that are dear to your heart?
Michael: I was born in Sunderland, lived in Washington and went to college in Durham so Sunderland and Newcastle are like home turf. And I live in Dartford now so that will be a nice easy venue for me to get to and from.
Dalton: I grew up in Bradford and I’ve done shows there as an amateur with local youth groups but I’ve never performed at the Alhambra in a professional capacity before. That’s going to be really special, with family and friends coming along, and it will also be my birthday when we’re there.
Blair: I cannot wait to play Glasgow. I’m from between Glasgow and Edinburgh and I’ve been to the King’s Theatre but I’ve never performed there. The audiences are always up for a good time in Glasgow. I’ve performed at Edinburgh Playhouse but only in amateur stuff. It’s a huge theatre and it’s gorgeous. We’re also doing Aberdeen, which is lovely, and Inverness, which is beautiful.
For all information on the Jersey Boys UK Tour visit the website.
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